Three Peaks - to sleep or not?

[Dave Bremers]

Am considering the Three Peaks challenge (the blue mountains one - Cloudmaker, Paralyser, Guogang in 48 hours) for sometime in the future - what I'm trying to decide is if its worth sleeping out or just doing it in one large push. Suggestions?

[climberman]

If my memory serves me correctly (to quote a great voice-over) I think the 3 peaks is in 24, clock to clock in Katoomba. 3 peaks in 48 is 'just' a challenging bushwalk (or a recce ).

[climberman]

Ashaly, I now think I'm wrong. As you were !

[Dave Bremers]

I've heard that the people who claim to have done it in 16 hrs don't leave any trace (like signing logbooks). does sound a little suss to me. 90km in 48 hrs with 4000m elevation change will do quite fine, no need to halve the time

[climberman]

Dunno about 16 but under 24 is a 'common' (ie, not at all common but you know what I mean) goal for it. I imagine solid route awareness helps.

Personally I'd go for a small sleep at the Coxs.

[Dave Bremers]

I've never been to the area before so I'm happy with my aim of 48 hrs. If 24hrs happens then I'll be stoked (and a lot fitter than I thought!)

[DaveNoble]

The "Three Peaks" is not a "challenge" but is a "bushwalk". It should be completed within 48 hours as a round trip from Katoomba (starting at the start of the Narrow Neck Road). Not many have completed it in under 24 hours. The current record has gone back to the Warwick Daniels/John Fantini party - whose time is 18 hours 22 mins. The fastest female to complete the walk is Emma Murray (sub 24 hours).

Most parties would sleep twice - once on, or near, The Coxs River on the way out (usually the Friday night), and then again on the Saturday night - after climbing at least 2 of the 3 peaks.

I have some notes online at -

http://www.david-noble.net/BlueMts/Coxs ... Peaks.html

(some links may now be down)

Dave

[climberman]

I bags never take on Fantini !

[Dave Bremers]

OK maybe I'm not up to your abilities Dave; the term challenge suits me fine. Thanks for the advice and links though - very useful and a good read.

[melinda]

Hi Breminator98.
Most people that I know, or have heard of, plan for at least one decent sleep of 6 hours or so.
If you are planning for a 48hr trip then I'd definitely plan for a decent rest.
On one attempt we went anticlockwise and slept at Whalania Creek.
On another rained out attempt we went clockwise and were aiming to sleep on top of Paralyser.
Check out http://3pktg.blogspot.com/
I guess I'd also be listening pretty closely to what Dave Noble says.
(In all the log books out there, there are two reoccuring names, 'Noble' and 'Bourke'.)
Good luck,
Melinda